With summer quickly approaching, men and women are preparing themselves for the season of swimsuits. Many have packed on a few pounds during the winter months (don’t worry, we are predisposed to do so)… and want to lose that winter weight before taking off our swim cover-ups at the beach this summer.

Fitness blog, Cardio, Weights, and Protein Shakes, has several free ab workouts to choose from and look through. Some of these core workouts have downloads to go with them. For example, our “Quick Ab Workout” has a freebie that will give you illustrations and demonstrations of how to do each exercise correctly. And you can download it straight to your phone to reference while you are working out!

5 Exercises to Lose Arm Fat You Need To Do Now

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The Best 5 Gym & Home Leg Exercises You Need To Do

Among the vast list of leg exercises out there, I've narrowed it down to 5 of the BEST leg exercises you can do to work the various leg muscles effectively and efficiently. Ready for the top 5 best gym and home leg exercises for your next workout? But before we get...

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Change it Up with The Surge

One of the best ways to keep yourself out of a fitness slump is to try a new workout or training type. I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again: You’re less likely to skip a workout if you are excited about doing it! And on the other hand, you are much more likely to get bored if you are doing the same workouts over and over again. Redundancy will inevitably lead to burnout. Don’t get to that point! Try a new workout style, who knows – maybe it’ll be your new go-to workout! Related: How to Get Out of Your Fitness Slump with a Sledgehammer Workout

What is The Surge from Hedstrom Fitness?

Revolutionary. That’s the first word that comes to mind when I think of Hedstrom‘s products. They’ve released the Bosu Ball, the Kamagon, and now the Surge. According to Hedstrom, the “SURGE® is a product that lets you train for everyday life. A product that truly makes you better at everything! SURGE® is “living resistance” that builds an athletic core which can take anything life and sport can dish out through intense and dynamic training.”

The Surge is a long cylinder that you can fill with water. Filling it with water makes it heavier. Theres a nifty, convenient chart on the side that tells you what the Surge will weigh with however much water you put in! It’s basically a barbell at home that you can change the weight on, without having to have a bunch of bulky equipment lying around! Bonus feature: it really challenges your stability because the water moves around inside the Surge.

In case you don’t want to read those bulky paragraphs, let me break it down for you….

1. The Surge is like a barbell.

2. You put water in it to create resistance… The more water you add, the more it weighs!

3. It’s just one piece of equipment… No more bulky gym equipment lying around and creating mess in your home.

4. The water creates a more challenging workout – Hydro Inertia Training! The water moves around inside The Surge and creates an unstable resistance for your workout moves. Every exercise you do is more challenging with these hydro-inertia principles!

5. You can do almost any exercise with the Surge (and the Kamagon ball!) now… anytime, anywhere!

Hydro-Inertia Training Workout

I was sent The Surge from Hedstrom to try out and it is a game changer!! I now have a great way of lifting weights on days that I don’t feel like going to the gym. Try these exercises for a full body workout with your Hedstrom Fitness gear!

Featured Hydro-Inertia Exercises:

Half Burpee: Start in the plank position with your hands in the Surge handles. Jump your feet inward towards your hands. You can either stand up, while keeping your back straight and your chest up, or you can jump your feet back to the start position!

Bent Over Row:Bend forward, keeping your back straight, head in line with your spine, and knees slightly bent, with the weight hanging directly in front of you. Lift The Surge towards your chest and keep your elbows tight in towards your body. Then slowly return to the starting position. You can do these with an overhand grip or an underhand grip!

Tricep Press: Hold the weight above your head. Slowly lower the weight behind your head… but make sure you keep your elbows inward by your ears. Slowly lift the weight back to the starting position. Side Note: It helps to stand with one foot in front of the other so that you don’t strain your lower back!

Bicep Curl: Stand with a split stance (one foot in front of the other), which protects your lower back. Hold the Surge with an underhand grip. Bring the weight up towards your chest, keeping your elbows stationary by your side.

Other Exercises for The Hedstrom Surge:

Chest Press

Deadlift

Shoulder Press

Front Raise

Lunge (and all lunge variations)

Squat (and all squat variations)

Weighted Sit-Ups

V-Ups

Oblique Twists (also known as Russian Twists)

And the list goes on! Check out this video library which has TONS of exercises to do with Hedstrom exercise products!!

You can get the Surge, Kamagon, or other Hedstrom Fitness products at the Hedstrom website, and you can use the code: SPHF25 for the next month for 25% off!

*Disclaimer: This post is a sponspored post. I am thrilled to work with Hedstrom on this campaign! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Not everybody has hours to spend at the gym. And for some reason, there’s a widely popular myth out there that says that if you want to lose weight or get a six pack, you have to exercise tirelessly for hours on end. That’s just not true. You can get a killer workout in 30 minutes or less. Be time efficient in the gym or wherever you workout. It’s all about how you spend your time. So, if you’re like 99.9% of the population and want to be efficient and effective with your time in the gym, try this quick ab workout on your next ab day.

This is an extremely effective, quick ab workout that you can do even if you’re in a time crunch. In this routine, you’re getting a cardio and strength workout in one. You’ll also feel it in other parts of your body too… like your arms, shoulders, legs, and back. Most of these ab exercises utilize other muscle groups as well. So you’ll be toning your whole body!

Number one way to break out of a workout slump? Do workouts that make you feel badass. It’s a tried and true approach to fitness motivation! I broke out of my fitness downward spiral with a sledgehammer workout. And WOW! I felt on top of the world after this workout. All jokes aside: Workouts that burn fat, exercises that challenge you, and fitness routines that excite you will be your key to getting motivated to work out and staying motivated to exercise.

Burn Fat Faster with Fun Cardio Workouts

Speaking from personal experience, one of the biggest culprits of fitness burnout is boredom. If you’re dreading a mundane, boring workout, you’re more likely to come up with excuses to stay home. But on the other hand, when you are excited and pumped to go do a workout, you’re less likely to skip it. For example, I am 10 times more likely to skip my cardio workout routine if I know I’ll be running on the treadmill… And I’m 100 times more likely to lose my motivation to exercise if I’ve been running on the treadmill day after day. Whenever I feel myself lacking motivation or excitement to go to the gym, I start a new workout routine. Last year, I started to do jump rope workouts for cardio. This year, I decided to try a sledgehammer workout.

Sledgehammer exercises can be done so that they target specific muscle groups or work your entire body; it just depends! My muscles were not expecting how difficult the work would be. When your muscles go through a routine, they get used to it. This can cause it to be harder for your muscles to grow.

Do you need more reasons why sledgehammer workouts are worth your while?

You’ll be doing a strength and cardio workout in one

You will work on your balance and hand/eye coordination

You’ll exercise muscles that may be neglected in your usual workout

You will burn A TON OF CALORIES

It can be used at home, outside, or at the gym!

I was given the opportunity to try out the incredible Mostfit Core Hammer, which is GREAT for any fitness level. They sent me their Core Hammer free of charge, but don’t worry – all of the thoughts and opinions I share in this post are 100% my own!

If you’re a gym newbie or fitness beginner, you won’t have any problem trying the Core Hammer… And if you’re a gym rat or a fitness competitor, you’ll see the value in Mostfit’s hammer as well as the sledgehammer workouts you can do!

Pro Tip: You can do this sledgehammer workout without a tire (which is my FAVORITE part about it because who has a tire just laying around to smash with a hammer??).

Here are some of the exercises that kicked my behind during my sledgehammer workout with the Mostfit Core Hammer:

Sledgehammer Slams: With every other workout hammer on the market, you’d need a tire to do this exercise (or else you’d destroy whatever you hit). But with the Mostfit Core Hammer, you can slam almost anything (Key Word: almost… Use your best judgment please! And test whatever you plan on hitting with a light tap before you really go for it). As you are slamming the Core Hammer down, slide the upper hand closer to the lower hand at the base; and as you are heaving the hammer back up, slide that same upper hand back to its starting position. Trust me: This helps.

Diagonal “Tree Chops” or Baseball Swings: Pretend that you are chopping a tree or swinging a baseball bat while keeping your core and ab muscles stationary and facing forward (don’t turn your body while you swing). You’ll do this fat burning ab exercise and feel your six pack form!

Squats (Two Handed Grip): This is an exercise to tone your thighs, lift your butt, work your ab muscles, and more. When you try it, you’ll really feel your entire body engaged and working hard to burn fat! Hold the sledgehammer with both hands as it is in the upright position. Perform a squat.

Squats (One Handed Grip): This is another whole body fitness exercise. Therefore, your body will be working hard to burn more calories! Start with the Mostfit Core Hammer in the upright position in one hand (it’s a balancing act!), and perform a squat while balancing the hammer.

MostFit Core Hammer Honorable Mentions:

Bicep Curls (*Hold the hammer in the upright position in one hand. Curl your hand towards your shoulder, while keeping your elbow locked in at your side)

Shoulder Press

Push Ups

Planks

Most of these exercises require you to do them with each hand. Since only ONE side of the hammer is weighted, you must give each side an opportunity to work harder! So, make sure that you perform all these sledgehammer exercises with the head of the hammer facing BOTH directions (i.e., do 10 reps for the right, and 10 for the left)!

Using unique fitness equipment can add so much value to your workout routine. If you aren’t sure how to do an exercise, do some research or ask a personal trainer (like me! I’d be more than happy to help). That being said, sledge hammer exercises are FUN and can make you feel like a gladiator. Just remember, when using a sledgehammer for working out, make sure you are aware of your surroundings too. You don’t want to hurt anyone or yourself!

Among the vast list of leg exercises out there, I’ve narrowed it down to 5 of the BEST leg exercises you can do to work the various leg muscles effectively and efficiently.

Ready for the top 5 best gym and home leg exercises for your next workout?

But before we get into the exact leg workout moves, you need to understand how important it is to strengthen your lower body. And also, I want to make sure you can do these exercises with ease (for confidence and for injury prevention), I’ll explain each one.

The Importance of Leg Day Defined:

​Overall Body Strength: When you train your legs, you’re actually working out multiple muscle groups! Leg Days are one of my favorites for this exact reason. It’s a great cardio workout (many of your leg muscles are the biggest in your body, so working them out is using a lot of energy and burning a lot of calories!)… AND your core is being utilized as well. Multiple birds. One stone.

Symmetry: Ever seen someone at the gym with a huge upper body and scrawny legs? It’s not the best look.

4. Hamstring Curls: This can be done on the “Hamstring Curl” Machine OR can be done on a bench/ flat surface with your legs hanging off the end and a dumbbell in between your ankles. Make sure you maintain control while curling your legs up to your butt. I think this may be the best leg exercise for bad knees. But consult with your medical doctor before giving any of these a try!

5. Weighted Barbell Squats: When doing weighted squats, form is CRUCIAL. So, use an appropriate weight (or no weight at all if you’re new to squats). Keep your chest up, and your knees behind your toes. Weighted Squats are certainly the most well known leg exercise for mass and toning – and for good reason too!

Are you ready to tone your legs?

These can be home leg exercises… or leg exercises at the gym! All of these exercises can be done at home (with the help of resistance bands and dumbbells!). Always make sure to keep form throughout all of these leg toning exercises! Safety first. When your form breaks, you put yourself at risk for injuring yourself. Additionally, stretching after doing weight exercises is beneficial for recovery.

*Images in the infographic are from WorkoutLabs. CWPS does not own or design them.

Cardiovascular Workouts for Weight Loss

The word “cardio” often leads to groans and sighs of dread. The best cardio workouts cause even more cause for concern!

Why? Because the best cardio workouts are hard but they can also help you to lose weight fast!

I’m not going to sugarcoat that… But it’s supposed to be hard! Your hear rate needs to be up; your muscles need to be engaging; you need to push yourself! Burning fat requires cardio.

While cardio exercises are challenging, they fortunately don’t have to be complicated.

I’d rather you spend your time actually doing the cardio exercises, as opposed to thinking about how to do them…

So, below are 8 of the best cardio workouts to lose weight…FAST!

Just to make sure you can do these intense cardio exercises with ease, I’ll explain each one.

1. Burpee: Start in the standing position. Squat down and place your hands close to your feet on the ground. Propel both feet backwards into a plank position. Pushup Optional. Jump both feet back to your hands. Stand up and jump.

2. Renegade Row: Start in plank position with dumbbells or kettlebells in your hands. One arm at a time, lift weight straight back towards your chest, keeping your elbow inward and close to your body.

3. Mountain Climber: Start in the plank position. One leg at a time, bring your knee to your elbow. Alternate legs as fast as you can.

4. Plank Jack: Start in the plank position. Propel both feet outward, like a jumping jack. Return feet back together to start position. Repeat as fast as you can.

5. Dumbbell Squat Clean and Press: Start in the standing position with feet shoulder width apart and dumbbells at your side. Squat down. Then propel the weights to your chest by extending your hips and knees. Press weights up above shoulders.

6. Frog Jump: Start in the standing position with feet in wide stance and toes pointing outward. Squat down (and gain leverage). Jump as high as you can.

7. Box Jump: Stand in front of a heightened surface. Squat down to gain leverage so you can jump onto the height in front of you. Carefully step back down after jumping.

8. Jumping Lunge: Step forward with one leg and bend knee. Your back knee should not go down all the way to the floor (but close). Your front knee should not go past your toes. Jump and alternate legs.

These “best cardio workouts to lose weight” moves are designed to challenge you. If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you! Challenge yourself, but do not injure yourself. Always consult your medical doctor! Cooling down and stretching after a cardio workout, especially an INTENSE cardio workout, can really help your body recover. As a personal trainer, I recommend walking for several minutes. Then, taking time to stretch your muscles. Make sure to stretch both your arms and legs! So many people only stretch leg muscles, don’t neglect your upper body and make sure to stretch arms too!

In your next workout, try these “Best Cardio Workouts to Lose Weight!”

*images pictured in the info graphic were designed from WorkoutLabs; CWPS does not own them or design them

Hi! Welcome to Cardio, Weights, & Protein Shakes. I’m a 20-something from Atlanta, GA where I work as a certified school counselor and personal trainer. I have a B.S. in Psychology, a B.A. in Sociology, and a M. Ed. in Professional Counseling from the University of Georgia. I started Cardio, Weights, & Protein Shakes in 2015 to share my journey in fitness, health, and life in general.